jury

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

jury [jury juries] BrE [ˈdʒʊəri] NAmE [ˈdʒʊri] noun countable + singular or plural verb (pl. juries)
1. (also panel, ˈjury panel especially in NAmE)a group of members of the public who listen to the facts of a case in a court and decide whether or not sb is guilty of a crime
•members of the jury
•to be/sit/serve on a jury
•The jury has/have returned a verdict of guilty.
•the right to trial by jury
see also ↑grand jury
2. a group of people who decide who is the winner of a competition
Idiom: ↑jury is out on something
See also: ↑panel

Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French juree ‘oath, inquiry’, from Latin jurata, feminine past participle of jurare ‘swear’, from jus, jur- ‘law’.

Culture:
juries
Under the legal system of England and Wales, and also that of Scotland, a person accused of a serious crime who pleads ‘not guilty’ to the crime will be tried by a jury. Juries also hear some civil cases (= disagreements between people about their rights) and decide whether a person is ‘liable’ (= required by law to do or pay something) or ‘not liable’. In the US juries are also used in both criminal and civil cases, though the rules vary from state to state.
In Britain jurors (= jury members) are selected at random for each trial from lists of adults who have the right to vote. They must be between the ages of 18 and 70 and have lived in Britain for at least five years. Members of the armed forces, the legal profession and the police force are not allowed to sit on juries. Anybody called for jury service usually has to attend court for about two weeks, although some cases may go on for much longer. The court pays only their expenses and if they have a job they are paid as normal by their employer. In England and Wales 12 people sit on a jury, in Scotland 15. A larger number of people are asked to attend court and the final jury is selected at random from among them. Lawyers representing either side in a case have the right to object to a particular person being on the jury.
After the jury has heard the evidence presented by both sides, it retires to the jury room, a private room, to discuss the case. When all members of the jury agree they return their verdict, go back into court and say whether the accused is guilty or not guilty. In Scotland they can also return a verdict of not proven, which means that guilt in the case has not been proved and the accused can go free. The verdict is announced by the foreman (= the person chosen by the jury as their leader). Sometimes the jury cannot all agree and the judge may accept a majority verdict, provided that no more than two members of the jury disagree. If no verdict is reached the trial is abandoned and started again with a different jury. It is not the responsibility of the jury to decide ↑punishment, though in certain civil cases they may decide how much compensation should be paid.
In the US most juries have 12 members, though some have only six. Otherwise the system is very similar to that in England and Wales. When people are called for jury duty they must go, but people who cannot leave their jobs or homes can be excused. Before a trial begins lawyers ask questions to see if jurors are impartial, i.e. do not have strong opinions that would prevent them making a decision based on the facts. Lawyers can challenge for cause, if they can give the judge a good reason why somebody should not be a juror. They also have a number of peremptory challenges which means they can object to somebody without giving a reason. In some trials it can be difficult to find 12 people who are impartial, especially if a case has received a lot of publicity. Lawyers sometimes do research to find out what kind of person is most likely to support their side, and use challenges to keep other people off the jury. In a criminal trial the jury decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent, but does not decide on a punishment. In a civil trial they may decide how much money should be paid in compensation. A majority decision is usually acceptable.

Collocations:
Criminal justice
Breaking the law
break/violate/obey/uphold the law
be investigated/arrested/tried for a crime/a robbery/fraud
be arrested/ (especially NAmE) indicted/convicted on charges of rape/fraud/(especially US) felony charges
be arrested on suspicion of arson/robbery/shoplifting
be accused of/be charged with murder/(especially NAmE) homicide/four counts of fraud
face two charges of indecent assault
admit your guilt/liability/responsibility (for sth)
deny the allegations/claims/charges
confess to a crime
grant/be refused/be released on/skip/jump bail
The legal process
stand/await/bring sb to/come to/be on trial
take sb to/come to/settle sth out of court
face/avoid/escape prosecution
seek/retain/have the right to/be denied access to legal counsel
hold/conduct/attend/adjourn a hearing/trial
sit on/influence/persuade/convince the jury
sit/stand/appear/be put/place sb in the dock
plead guilty/not guilty to a crime
be called to/enter (BrE) the witness box
take/put sb on the stand/(NAmE) the witness stand
call/subpoena/question/cross-examine a witness
give/hear the evidence against/on behalf of sb
raise/withdraw/overrule an objection
reach a unanimous/majority verdict
return/deliver/record a verdict of not guilty/unlawful killing/accidental death
convict/acquit the defendant of the crime
secure a conviction/your acquittal
lodge/file an appeal
appeal (against)/challenge/uphold/overturn a conviction/verdict
Sentencing and punishment
pass sentence on sb
carry/face/serve a seven-year/life sentence
receive/be given the death penalty
be sentenced to ten years (in prison/jail)
carry/impose/pay a fine (of $3 000)/a penalty (of 14 years imprisonment)
be imprisoned/jailed for drug possession/fraud/murder
do/serve time/ten years
be sent to/put sb in/be released from jail/prison
be/put sb/spend X years on death row
be granted/be denied/break (your) parole
more collocations at ↑crime

Example Bank:
•A retrial was necessary after the original trial ended with a hung jury.
•He was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of distributing illegal steroids.
•He was on a jury judging a songwriting competition.
•He will appear before a grand jury investigating the case.
•Her evidence finally swayed the jury.
•It was the second time he had been called up for jury duty/service.
•Judge Ito sequestered the jury for the entire trial.
•Tell the jury what happened, in your own words.
•The 12-member jury deliberated for five days before returning a verdict.
•The company has been slapped with a grand jury subpoena.
•The judge directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.
•The jury awarded her damages of £30 000.
•The jury consisted of an architect, a photographer and an artist.
•The jury convicted Menzies of assaulting Smith.
•The jury delivered a unanimous verdict.
•The jury has awarded the prize for best exhibit in the show to Harry Pearson.
•The jury has retired to consider its verdict.
•The jury heard how the boy had obtained a carving knife from a friend's house.
•The jury is selected from the winners in previous years.
•The jury is still out on this new policy.
•The jury is still out= still deciding.
•The jury were unanimous in their verdict.
•The new jury were sworn in.
•The trial will take place before a jury.
•There were only three women on the jury.
•You have a right to trial by jury.
•a review of the jury system
•the President's grand jury testimony
•the jury for the design awards
•the jury of seven women and five men
•An inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
•Everyone should have the right to trial by jury.
•He was on the jury for this year's Booker Prize.